Highland Whisky

As a very vague rule of thumb, the Highlands region is one of big-bodied whiskies, often peated and smoky, often very powerful. The Highlands is such a large, diverse region that is difficult to categorize their whiskies accurately. Technically speaking, the Islands has not been officially recognised as a region of its own and, as such, is included in the Highlands appellation. For the sake of precise classification, we shall choose to note the separation.

It is worth looking at the subcategories within the Highlands, typically broken down into the cardinal compass points. The Northern Highlands is an area of big-bodied, cereal rich, sweet and mouth-filling whiskies. Noteworthy examples are The Dalmore from Alness in Ross-shire, whose single malts are rich and sherried with honeyed sweetness and, of course, Glenmorangie, whose full-bodied whiskies are among the world’s best-selling. The Southern Highlands produces lighter, fruitier and drier whiskies. Edradour and Aberfeldy are good examples. The Eastern Highlands proffers full-bodied, dry, well-fruited single malts. Glen Garioch whiskies are wonderful examples; their twenty-one year-old is a personal favourite with its beautiful fruit and smoke. The Western Highlands locale is one of full-bodied, powerful single malts, peated and smoky. Oban is a wonderful example and Dalwhinnie consistently amazes.

This was distilled in the Spring of 1998 at the Clynelish distillery. It was aged for 12 years in refill hogshead number 6057 before bottling for the Douglas Laing Provenance range in Spring of 2010. More info

A 27 year old from the Old Malt Cask range. This was distilled at the Glen Mhor distillery (which is now long gone) in August 1982 and it was aged in a refill hogshead before bottling in August 2009. More info

A 13 year old, exquisitely packaged in an Ibisco decanter. This was distilled on the 30th April 1997 and aged in cask number 182 before bottling on the 5th July 2010. A release of 707 numbered... More info

This was distilled on the 14 September 1998 and aged initially in hogsheads before being disgorged on the 2nd May 2007 and re-racked into a Bordeaux hogshead. It was finally bottled as part of... More info

20 year old single cask Balblair, distilled on the 13th June 1990, aged in sherry butt number 166 (as you'll note from the rich colour), and bottled for the Bladnoch forum on the 14th June 2010. More info

Single cask Glenugie. This was distilled on the 15th October 1977 and aged for 32 years. It was given a 90 month finish in top quality Oloroso sherry butts and bottled by Signatory on the 19th March... More info

A single cask Glenturret. This was distilled on the 21st December 1979 and aged for 29 years in hogshead number 1439 before bottling on the 3rd December 2009. A release of 184, individually numbered... More info

A very tasty Sauternes finished Edradour. This was distilled on the 29th June 1999 and aged in hogsheads before being disgorged on the 29th October 2008. It was then re-racked into a Sauternes... More info

An 18 year old from Ian MacLeod's Chieftain's Choice range. This was distilled in October 1990 and aged for 18 years in cask number 91781 before bottling in May 2009. A release of 312 bottles. More info

Distilled at Dalmore in January 1990 and aged in a refill butt and finished in Amontillado sherry butt number 6054 before bottling in 2010 April. A release of 455 bottles from Douglas Laing's Old Malt... More info

A rich, spicy 12 year old from the Dalmore distillery. This was distilled in the December of 1995 and aged in hogshead number 9421. Bottled for the Dun Bheagan range in 2008 as part of a release of... More info

A 40 year old from the Tomatin distillery, a really beautiful looking whisky, in a stunning decanter. This is part of the release five of the Celtic Heartlands range, and there are just 523 of these... More info

Single cask Glencadam, bottled by Signatory vintage (and packaged in their attractive new bronze on black tins - very handsome!). This was distilled on the 11th September 1989, aged for 20 years in... More info

A sherry butt matured Auchroisk (a distillery known for its sweet and spicy flavour), this was distilled on the 19th September 1979 and aged for 29 years in cask number 22450 before bottling by... More info

A single cask Glencadam bottled by Signatory. There are just 428 bottles of this, distilled on the 11th September 1989 and aged for 20 years in refill sherry butt number 6020 before bottling on the... More info

A sherry matured Blair Athol, bottled as a "Cigar Malt" by Douglas Laing. There are just 300 bottles of this, and the producers recommend this be enjoyed with a medium to full flavoured cigar. More info

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